Omaha daily bee., 1887-02-16

The belief is very general that war is
imminent in Europe. The cable dis
patches daily bring reports of active NIL
itary preparations. All the nations, and
particularly Germany, France and Rus
sia, are arming their soldiers with the
most approved and repeating guns. Ger
many has called home her citizens So
journing in other European cities who
are subject to military duty. That
country, Austria and Russia have prohih-
tied the expectation of horses. Bismarck
is quoted as regarding the progress of
warlike preparations in France, and the
sentiment of an influential element in
that country, as menace to peace.
Austria is arming with all possible rap
idity, and ministerial councils denote un-
common solicitude. The czar is said to
have declined to say what the attitude of
Russia would be IN the event of hostilities
between Germany and France. Italy is
not idle, while England, though mani
testing less preparation than the other
nations, is not unconscious of the grave
nature of the situation. Such are the
conditions which seem to warrant the
expectation that a European war is a
probable event of the not very remote
future. The magnitude and complete
ness of the preparations for war may
prove to be the means of averting
such a calamity. This would accord
with the theory of Bismarck, so far as
Germany is concerned In his appeals
to the reichstag for an increase of the
army and an extension of the term of
service, the salient point of his argument
Was that such preparation would be for
the conservation of peace. 1t was plaus.
lble, whether or not sincere. 1t may be
that when all the powers are fully ready
to fight they will be better disposed to try
another way of settling their differences,
if settlement in any other way be pos
sible.
The probable duration of European
war may be conjectured from the extent
of the preparations, the protracted delib-
Grafton, and the certainty that wherever
it might begin it would almost inevitably
grow to involve all the great powers.
There is not one Of the continental
nations that is not better prepared for
war to-day than at any other period IN its
history. Their armies are as large as
eyer before and much better armed and
equipped. The means of destruction
have been greatly improved in the last
ten years, and these nations are well sup
piled with the surest and most terrible
death dealing weapons. To some of them
war would be the realization of desire
long deferred. For sixteen years
France has nursed her bitter grievance
against Germany. For longer period
Russia has awaited the time when she
could strike again for conquest. Ger
many and Austria have scores to settle
or ambitions to subserye. In the arbitra-
ment of arms Italy and England could
not remain inactive. The possibilities of
war in Europe, wherever it should be
started, are far'reaching, and the conflict
would be prolonged until the resources
OF the weaker powers were exhausted.
Deplorable as such calamity would
be, if there can be any excuse for consid-
ering it from selfish standpoint Ameri-
can interests can regard 1t ms an eventu-
ality whose consequences would bring
them no disadvantage. A prolonged
European war would mean the assured
market for all tho surplus products of
this country that armies consume. 1t
would mean the diversion of a vast
amount of European capital to American
investments. 1t would mean the extern
sion of our commerce in markets W hich
the contending nations were unable to
longer fully supply, 1t would mean the
partial restoration at least of the ocean
carrying trade of the United States,
and in rendering this neutral nation
the chief source from which TO OBJ
tain numerous commodities aud supplies
the production OF which would be cut off
or greatly reduced by state OF war, a
general and long maintained conflict IN
Europe would contribute most materially